Kansas is at the top of the Big 12, where the Jayhawks always seem to be.

The rest of the conference has fallen behind them in a competitive race that is generating unexpected acclaim for the conference.

At the midway point of conference play, the conference leads the nation in RPI and in the most recent Sagarin ratings. It is understandable since the Big 12 has the nation's best non-conference record and has featured a slew of competitive league games.

No margin for error

The conference's balance was evident last week when four of the five games were won by teams playing teams above them in the conference standings. Three of the losers were ranked teams, including Kansas.

"This year, if you don't play good basketball, you won't win any conference games," said Baylor coach Scott Drew, whose Bears started 12-1 in non-conference play before losing seven of their nine Big 12 games. "The margin of error isn't there for a lot of teams because of the parity in the conference."

After starting the season 14-0, Iowa State lost four of its next five games. All were against teams that are currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 or were ranked at the time the Cyclones played them.

"The big thing is that we're just trying to stay the course," Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said. "When you look at our schedule and the teams we had played, there was no need to panic.

"Our conference is unbelievable and every night you play, you have to be at your best."

The real benefit of the conference's parity could be apparent next month when NCAA Tournament play begins.

The Big 12 struggled with a 3-5 record in tournament play last season - one of only four NCAA Tournaments and the first since 2001 when the league's collective record dipped below .500.

The league's combined .567 NCAA Tournament record over the last five seasons ranks behind the Atlantic Coast, Southeastern, Big East and Big Ten among the power conferences.

And most telling, since Kansas won the conference's only national title in 2008, only one Big 12 team has made it the Final Four. During that time, the ACC, Big East, Big Ten and the Horizon League have had multiple Final Four teams.

The Jayhawks (17-5, 8-1) appear to have the Big 12's best chance of making the Final Four this season.

But the continual grinder of conference play should help all of the conference's teams once NCAA Tournament play begins.

Most situations won't be any more harrowing for Big 12 teams than what they encounter on a consistent basis in the conference.

Seven Big 12 teams have been ranked, and six teams - Kansas, Texas (18-4, 7-2), Oklahoma (17-6, 6-4), Oklahoma State (16-6, 4-5), Iowa State (17-4, 5-4) and Kansas State (15-7, 5-4) - appear to be strong contenders to make the NCAA field. West Virginia (14-9, 6-4) and Baylor appear to be on the bubble.

Baylor down but not out

So even with all of their struggles, Drew's Bears have a chance to turn things around.

Baylor showed how good it could be last weekend at Stillwater, Okla., when the Bears knocked off then-No. 8 Oklahoma State in a game in which Baylor played without starting point guard Kenny Chery.

"That was a hell of a win," Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. "I was impressed. To me, that's the Baylor team that is capable of beating anyone in the country. And on Saturday, they may well could have."

Drew appears to have learned one lesson during the first half of the season.

"If there's one thing I'd do differently, I would have made sure to prepare for the physicality of league play," Drew said. "That's something that will haunt me many years."

The Big 12 has not been a place for the timid or meek this season.

And it won't be any easier - or different - down the stretch of what should be an intriguing second half of the conference race.